Artificial bone graft implant

An artificial bone graft implant for use as a replacement for living bone material in surgical procedures requiring the use of bone graft material, the implant comprising:

• a) a body formed of a biocompatible microporous material adapted to bond to bone, the body configured to be implanted into a prepared site in a patient's bone tissue, the body having a center portion, an outer portion and a pair of opposed outer surfaces defining the body;
• b) the biocompatible microporous material having a relatively low average porosity in the center portion that gradually changes to a relatively high average porosity in the outer portion;
• c) wherein the pore size of the center portion of the body allows for a load bearing capacity similar to natural bone and the pore size of the outer portion of the body allows for the ingrowth of bone tissue, the biocompatible microporous material being hydroxylapatite.

An implant for replacing the supporting function of an intervertebral space defined between adjacent vertebrae, comprising a prosthetic implant member dimensioned for insertion within a space provided by at least partial removal of the intervertebral disc, the implant member including a first implant portion and a second implant portion, the first implant portion comprising a microporous material formed to define a predetermined configuration and having a first relatively high average porosity to facilitate rapid bone ingrowth within the first implant portion, the second implant portion comprising a microporous material formed to define a predetermined configuration and having a second relatively low average porosity to support and maintain the adjacent vertebrae in spaced relation during permanent fixation of the implant member within the adjacent vertebrae, the first implant portion being disposed in a peripheral area of the implant member and the second implant portion being disposed in a central area of the implant member, the microporous material being selected from the group consisting of calcium phosphate, bioactive glass, bioresorbable polymers, and hydroxylapatite.